Two-feed dbcxlab  knitting machine



vISYShees--Sh'eet l Y `A. cs.4 BELFORD Two-FEED yGIRCULAR-'KN-I'I'TINGlMACHINE I Filed ,July 1 1, 1935 Now-27,1934.

- INVEN'ro ALEXANDER G. ,BELFORD .HM/ff vBY HIS ATTORNEYS Nov, 27, 1934.A. G. BELFORD TWC-FEED CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed July l1, 1933 3Sheets-Shat 2 N\m\ IIIIIII lli lllll l.

IlllllwlllllrlIlWlT IIIIIIII Illl) mvEN'ron 4vALEXANDER G, BELFORD BYHIS ATTORNEYSv Nov. 27, `1934. A. G. BELFoRD TWO-FEED CIRCULARV KNITTINGMACHINE Filed July 11, 1953 s sheets-,sheet 3 INvr-:Nron ALEXANDER G.BELFORD BY HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Nev. 21, 1934 PATENT AOFFICE Two-mncnwULAn xm'rmo MACHINE alexander c. nuora, Laconia, N. n., signor vScott Williams, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation ofMassachusetts Application 11, 1933, Serial No. 679,946

norms.

This invention relates to circular knitting machines arranged for riband plain knitting and having Jack selecting means to provide forknitting dierent patterns and it is an object of this invention toprovide an improved machine of the type described which shall operate asa twofeed machine in plain knitting and in which jack selections madebefore the feeding of the auxiliary yarn in a course are maintaineduntil after the needles take the main yarn or yarns in that course. y

In the drawings- Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are developments of the cylinder camswith needles, their operating jacks and the paths of the needlesindicated thereon; Fig. l showing the operating cam's and the paths ofthe needles for the knitting of rib work; Fig. 2

' ing the means for4 operating the transfer and auxiliary knitting cams;and

Figs. 6 and 7 are details of the operating mechanism shown in Fig. 5.

In the drawings the cylinder cam arrangement shown is that of a ribknitting machine, being substantially that of the rlb knitting machine'shown in the patent to Scott, No. 1,641,101, is-

sued August 30th, 1927, but provided with`pattern jacks which may beselected by any suitable means, as'the jack selecting means shown in thepatent to Grothey, No. 1,678,385, issued July-24, 1928, or in theapplication of Albert E. Page, Serial No. 359,962. filed May 2. 1929,and modled to provide for two-feed operation during plain rotaryknitting in accordance withthis invention. y ,l

As shown in the drawings there is provided the cam ring 271 having theknitting cams 357, 360 and 361. switch cams 415 and 415 which togetherperform thefunetlons of the cam 415 of the Scott patent, dividing cam 4,transfer-cam andtheothercamsusualinthistypeofma-l -aration of the instepneedles from the needles l used in knitting the heel and toe.Cooperating ing the jacks and the needles mounted in the l cylindergrooves with the jacks. The sinker cam cap V300 is provided with theusual sinker operating cams 305, 307 which operate the sinkers in theregion of the main knitting wave formed by the knitting cams 357, 360and 361 in the cam ring 271.

Previously, in machines for knitting rib fabric or automatically turnedwelts, the auxiliary yarn' feed has been placed to the left of the lefthand stitch cam 360, as viewed in Fig. 1, but this placement leaves noroom for needle selection between the main and auxiliary yarn feeds andrenders patterning in the auxiliary yarns diihcult, if not impossible,and where a pattern is formed by means of tuck .stitches taken at themain yarn feed, the pattern is broken on the instep on the rstrevolution of round-and-round knitting after coming on the heel. Inorder to overcome the objections arising from placing the auxiliary oradditional yarn feed at the left of the stitch cam 360, the auxiliary'oradditional yarn feed is placed at the right of the right hand stitch cam361 and the transfer cam 25, which raises the inactive cylinder needlesto take the loops from the dial needles after rib knitting is finished,is made adjustable as to its position in the cam ring 271 to permit ofthe insertion of auxiliary cams and' 3l. The cams 30 and 31 serve tooperate the needles whoseV butts they engage ln. a knitting ,fwave, cam30 raising the needles to clear their latches and take the auxiliaryyarn fed by the auxiliary yarn guide F, and cam 31 lowering the needlesto cast off the loops previously taken.' Cooperating in the knitting atthe auxiliary yarn feed are auxiliary cams in the sinker ring 300comprising a cam 32 to withdraw the sinkers to allow the yarn to bedrawn under their nebs and a cam 33 to reinsert or restore the sinkersto `-theirforward position.

erated toA operative and inoperative positions by a means such as isshown in the application of ThesecamsmaybeOD-.

H. G. Dickens, lSerial No. 644,525, flied November 26th, 1932. l

Cam 25 would, if left in its operative position, prevent the insertionof the auxiliary knitting cams 30 and 31 at the desired place on the camring 271 while cams 30 and 31, if left in their operative position,would prevent properly positioning the transfer cam 25. In order topermit 0I the removal of the transfer cam 25 and the l the block 50 andare threaded into the cam ring 1 insertion of the auxiliary knittingcams and 31, the transfer cam 25 is carried upon a guide block securedto the cam ring 271 by bolts or screws 52 which extend through'slots 53in -vided with an adjustable stop 58 positioned to engage the bed plateB and limit the movement of the block'50 and cam 25 in one directionwhile the other portion of the forked end is provided with a pin 59which engages in a slot 60 in one end of la link 6l. The other'end oflink 61 is pivotally` connected to an end of a lever 62 .which Aispivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon a pin 63 carried by one armof a lever 64. The lever 64 extends in both directions from itsconnection with the lever 6 2 and is centrally pivotedat 66 upon abracket 67 secured to the bed plate B.

A thrust rod 70 operated in the usual manner from the main pattern drumor other suitable operating means, is held in position by a guide plate72 to place a cam 74 upon the upper end of the thrust rod between thefree ends of the levers 62 and 64 and upon operation of the thrust rod70 to operate the levers 62 and 64.to shift the'cam 25, which. isconnected to lever 62. and to move the auxiliary knitting cams 30 and31, which are connected to lever 64. to operative or' inoperativepositions. Spring connected to the lever 56 and the link 61 tends tohold the pin 59 at the inner end of the slot 60 in the link 61 while thespring 65' connected to the lever 62 and the bed plate B tends tooperate the lever 56 through the link-61 in a clockwise direction tovthe positionshown in Fig. 5 and.to.hold lever 62 in engagement with thecam' 74. .While the connections of the auxiliary knitting cams 30 and 31to the lever 64 and the means for mounting these cams are not shown itis to be understood4 any suitable connecting means and mounting meansmay be used, suitable means for this purpose being shown in the patentto Scott. No. 1,317,897, issued Oct. 7, 1917. The connections betweenthe levers 62 and 64 and between the levers and the cams operatedthereby are such that the cam 25 is shifted along the cam ring 271 fromits operative position to an inoperative position when the thrust rod israisedto operate lever 64`to shift cams 30 and 3l to their operativeposition and the cam 25 is shifted to its operative" position when thethrust rod is lowered and the cams 30 and 3l are returned to theirinoperative positions.

In the knitting of a stock, knitting from top to toe, the welt andtherib top are knit in the usual manner, such as that described in PatentNo.V

1,641,101 referred toabove. the auxiliary yarn guide F* and theauxiliary knitting cams 80. 31

being held in an inoperative or inactive position during the knitting ofthese parts. During the knitting of theA rib top the alternate cylinderneedles which cooperate with the dial needles are raised by theirpattern jacks, which engage the cam 100, to a position in which theirlatches are cleared and their butts pass over the dividing 2511) 4 andare guided by the knitting cams 357. 360 and 361 to cause these needlesto take the yarn at the main yarn guides Fl'and to cast off the loops ofyarn previously taken. 'I'he remaining cylinder needles are not raisedby their jacks at this time to clear. their latches and these needlesare guided by the dividing cam 4 so as topass below the knitting cam 360and not take yarn at the main yarn guides. After the rib top has beencompleted and the transfer of the loops from the dial needles to thepreviously inactive cylinder needles, accomplished by the transfer cam25 raising the needles to the transfer level, the push rod 70\ isoperated by the racking of the main pattern drum or other suitableoperating means, operating the levers 62 and 64to shift the transfer cam25 along the cam ring 271 from its operative position andto shift thecams 30 and 31 in' wardly to their loperative positions in which they.l

engage the butts of the needles.' 'I'he auxiliary yarn guide is falsoplaced in operative position` and '3l to operative' position and theleading stitch cam 361 is withdrawn. Any suitable means for operatingthe auxiliary yarn guide in conjunction with the auxiliary knitting camsmay be used, such a means being shown in theScott Patent No. 1,317,897,previously mentioned: and -the leading stitch cam 361 may be withdrawnby any suitable cam operating means such asis shown in Patent No.1,725,275, Houseman, August 20th, 1929, for operating a diilerent cam.

With the loops transferred from the dial needles and the auxiliaryknitting c ams and yarn guide in operative positions, the needlescorresponding to the pattern jacks 736 whose lower portions have beenmoved inwardly by the pattern Ameans con- 4trolling thejacks are raisedby the auxiliary raising cam 30 to a position in which theirlatches arecleared while the remaining needles are raised to the same level by thejacks which were not operated by the selecting means riding over jackcam 100. All the needles are drawn down by the auxiliaryfdraw downcam,3l, the needles taking the auxiliary yarn and casting oil' the oldloops. The butts of all the, needles areengged by the cam, face 40 ofthe cam ring 271.and the needles are raised to the tucking level inwhich the needle latches are not cleared of the loops of the auxiliaryyarn. The jacks whose lower portions were moved lnwardLv do not engage.the cam 101 and the needles corresponding thereto remain at the-tuckinglevel but the jacks whose lower portions were not moved inwardly engagecam 101 and are raised thereby so that the needles corresponding theretoare raised to a higher level than the other needles and their latchesare cleared of the loops of the auxiliary yarn. Where it is los desiredto form tuck stitches, the yarn at the main yarn guides F1 is fed fromthe corner of the throat plate so that the main yarn is taken by boththe high and low groups of needles. When the needles are drawn down bythe left hand stitch cam 860 the loops which were cleared of the latchesof the higher group of needles are cast off in the usual way but theloops on the lower group of needles whose latches were not clearedbefore these needles took the main yarn are not cast oif at this timeand tuck stitches are formed on these needles when both loops are latercastY off upon the taking of the auxiliary yarn.

,Y Where it is desired -to make iioat stitches 'instead of tuck stitchesthe operation o'f the needles by the jacks and cams is the same as whentuck yarn is fed from Aa yarn guide at the right sideofthethroatplate,asseeninFig.l,sothatlt is not taken by the needleswhich are not raised by their jacks and remain at the tucking level butis taken by the needles which are raised by their jacks. -It'will benoted that the needles which do not take the main yarn in forming oatstitches do not cast olf their loops of auxiliary yarn when drawn downby theleft hand stitch ,cam 360 as these needles did not clear theirlatches when raised by the cam face v40 of the cam ring 271. After beingbrought down by the stitch cam 360 all the needles are raised to thetuck position byy the cam face 40* of the cam ring 271 at which levelthey remain until brought down by the leveling cam 8 to pass the usualneedle protector. The needles remain at this level until raised w alatch clearing position by the cam after which they are again broughtdown by the switch cam 415 to a level at which they engage the auxiliaryraising cam unless raised by their pattern jacks. While the needles arebeing operated at thefauxiliary yarn guide to take and knit theauxiliary yarn the auxiliarycams 32 and 33 in the sinker cam cap operatethe slnkers to retract the sinkers and allow the yarn to be drawn undertheir nebs and then to again advance the sinkers and restore theengagement of the sinkers with the fabric.

In going onto the heel or toe afterV knitting the plain fabric of theleg or instep the high buttV instep needles are raised by the switch cam415` to the lidling position in which they clear the main knitting camswhile the low butt needles on which the heel and toe are knit are notaffected by the switch cam 415* and pass by ittobeoperatedintheusualmannerbythemainl butt instep needles are returnedinto action for the first revolution of round-and-rounrl knittingbytheswitchcamnintimetoberaisedbythejacks'l36andtheamriliaryraisingcam30. The switch cam 415 in returningthe high butt needles into action does not lower them sufficiently tocast ofl' the loops which were below the latches of the needles raisedto the idling position during theknittingofthetoeorheelsothatastheseneedles are raisedto take the auxiliary yarn for the knitting of theinstep the loops which were retained on these needles at the mainknitting wave are properly positioned to continue the knitting of theinstep without any interruption ofthepatternbeingmade. Itwillbenotedthatinthe knitting of theleg and instep the jack selection for patterning ismade before the taking of the auxiliary yarn and. once made, ismaintainedforthetakingandknitting ofthemain 'molyms.

I claimzy Llnacircularknittingmachinehavingindependent needles, twoneedle cams having conicingv operating positions in\combination withmeans adapted to move one cam circumferentially into and out `ofoperative position and means adapted to move the othercam radially intoandout of operative position. v

2, Inacircularknitting machine havingindependentneedles,atransfcrcamandanauxiliary knitting camhavingconflicting operating positions, means to shift said transfer camcircumferentially to and from its operative position and means to shiftsaid auxiliary knitting cam radially into and out of operative position.

'3. In a circular knitting machine having independent needles, twoneedle cams having conicting operating positions, in combination withmeans to shift said cams into and Vout of their operative positions.

4. In a circular knitting machine having independent needles, a transfercam and an auxiliary knitting cam having conflicting operating positionsand means to replace one of said cams by the other of said cams.

5. In a circular knitting machine having independent needles, aplurality of needle operating cams having conflicting operatingpositions and means operating said cams on relatively angulilly disposedpaths to replace one cam by the o er.

6. In a circular knittingmachine having a plurality of yarn feedpositions, cams for forming knitting waves at each yarn feed position,jacks operating selected needles at both yarn feed positions upon jackselections made prior to the first yarn feed position, a cam at on`eyarn feed position having an operative position conicting with theoperative position of one of the cams forming the knitting wave at thatyarn feed position and means to replace one of. said cams by the other.

7. In a circular knitting machine having main and auxiliary yarn feedpositions, cams for forming knitting waves at each yarn feed position,jacks operating selected needles at both yarn feed positions upon jackselections made prior to the auxiliary yarn feed position, a camhavingan operative position conflicting with the operative position of one ofthe cams forming the knitting wave at the auxiliary yarn feed positionland means to replace one of said conflicting cams by the other.

8. In a two-feed circular knitting machine two needle cams havingconflicting operating positions at the leading yarn feed, means to shiftsaidA needle cams into and out of their operative positions, a thirdneedle cam cooperating with one of said two needle cams to operate .theneedles in a knitting wave at the leading yarn feed and jacks forcausing needle selections at each of said yarn feeds by jack selectionsmade prior to said leading yarn feed.

9. In a circular knitting machine arranged for l'lb and plain knittingand having separated yarn feeds, cams forming knitting waves at eachyarn feed, jack operating cams and jacks operated by said cams, one ofsaid cams shifting jacks to effect needle operation at the leading yarnfeed during rib knitting and said cams shifting jacks to effect needleoperation at both yarn feeds during plain knitting upon jack selectionsmade prior to said leading yarn feed at which all needles draw new loopsand cast off their old loops, the jack selection being ineffective tocause selective knitting at said leading yarn feed and effective at asubsequent yarn feed.

10. In a circular knitting machine arranged for rib and plain knittingand having main and auxiliary yarn feeds, cams forming knitting waves ateach yarn feed, jack operating cams and jacks operated by said cams, oneof said cams shifting jacks to eifect needle operation at the auxiliaryyarn feed during rib knitting and said cams shifting jacks to effectneedle operation at both yarn all needles draw new loops and cast oliftheir old loops, the jack selection being ineilective to cause selectiveknitting at said auxiliary yarn feed and eflectve subsequently at saidmain yarn feed.

11.l In a circular knitting machine arranged for rib and plain knittingand having a plurality of yarn feeds, cams forming knitting waves ateach yarn feed, jacks for operating said needles, and

cams for operating said jacks, one of said cams operating jacks to eiectneedle operation at the leading yarn feed'during rib knitting and saidcams operating jacks to eiect needle operation at both yarn feeds duringplain knitting upon jack selections madeprior to the leading yarn feed,the jack selection being ineffective to cause selective knitting at thefirstr yarn feed.

DISCLAIMER u l 1,982,5 66.'Alezander C1. Belford, Laconia,

MACHINE.

Patent dated November 27, 1934.

N. H. Two-FEED CIRCULAR KNrr'rrNa i Disclaimer filed May 29,

v 1935, by the assignee, Scott de. Williams, Incorporated.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to that which is in the follo Words, toWit:

3. In a circulvfliiam 'tt'ing machine having independent needles, twoneedle vpart-of lthe claimin said specification cams having conilctingoperating posi-tions, in combination with means to shift said cams intoand 'out of their operative posi-tions,

"5. In a circular knitting machine having independent needles, aplurality of needle operating cams having conflicting operatingpositions and means operating said camsfon' relatively angularlydisposed paths to replace one cam by the other.

Gazette June,18,.1935.]

all needles draw new loops and cast olif their old loops, the jackselection being ineilective to cause selective knitting at saidauxiliary yarn feed and eflectve subsequently at said main yarn feed.

11.l In a circular knitting machine arranged for rib and plain knittingand having a plurality of yarn feeds, cams forming knitting waves ateach yarn feed, jacks for operating said needles, and

cams for operating said jacks, one of said cams operating jacks to eiectneedle operation at the leading yarn feed'during rib knitting and saidcams operating jacks to eiect needle operation at both yarn feeds duringplain knitting upon jack selections madeprior to the leading yarn feed,the jack selection being ineffective to cause selective knitting at thefirstr yarn feed.

DISCLAIMER u l 1,982,5 66.'Alezander C1. Belford, Laconia,

MACHINE.

Patent dated November 27, 1934.

N. H. Two-FEED CIRCULAR KNrr'rrNa i Disclaimer filed May 29,

v 1935, by the assignee, Scott de. Williams, Incorporated.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to that which is in the follo Words, toWit:

3. In a circulvfliiam 'tt'ing machine having independent needles, twoneedle vpart-of lthe claimin said specification cams having conilctingoperating posi-tions, in combination with means to shift said cams intoand 'out of their operative posi-tions,

"5. In a circular knitting machine having independent needles, aplurality of needle operating cams having conflicting operatingpositions and means operating said camsfon' relatively angularlydisposed paths to replace one cam by the other.

Gazette June,18,.1935.]

